Waxflower plant named &#39;matilda&#39;

ABSTRACT

‘Matilda’ is a new and distinct waxflower plant (interspecific  Chamelaucium  hybrid) notable for its early flowering, compact growth habit, and dense terminal cover of large white flowers that age to white with a diffuse magenta to maroon ring.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT.

None.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Interspecific Chamelaucium hybrid (Chamelaucium uncinatum×Chamelaucium megalopetalum)

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Matilda’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘Matilda’ is a new waxflower plant that originated as a seedling produced in a sexual breeding program conducted by the State of Western Australia at its Medina Research Station and at its South Perth nursery and laboratories. Originally identified by its breeder's reference ‘WX47’, ‘Matilda’ was selected from seedlings of a controlled cross performed 1999 between female parent ‘5001/720-8’, an intraspecific hybrid within C. uncinatum (not patented), and male parent C. megalopetalum ‘CM 6.6’ (not patented). ‘Matilda’ was first asexually propagated in 2002 from cuttings, and has been shown to remain true to type over successive generations.

‘Matilda’ is distinguishable from its female parent ‘5001/720-8’ by a number of features, as described in Table 1 below:

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘Matilda’ ‘5001/720-8’ Leaf size Medium Long Leaf shape Narrow ovate with acute Lanceolate with hooked apex apex Leaf cross section Triangular with indented Terete upper surface Flower color White aging to white with Almost white aging to distinct deep magenta to pink maroon ring Flower size Large Small

‘Matilda’ is distinguishable from its male parent ‘CM 6.6’ by a number of features, as described in Table 2 below:

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘Matilda’ ‘CM 6.6’ Growth habit Compact Medium upright Leaf shape Narrow ovate with acute apex Obovate with obtuse apex Flower shape Open Cupped Flower color White aging to white with White aging to distinct deep magenta to maroon magenta and maroon ring spots and uneven patches Flower size Large Small

‘Matilda’ is also distinguishable from other known waxflower varieties. A comparison of ‘Matilda’ to ‘Bridal Pearl’ (unpatented), the most similar variety of common knowledge, is set forth in Table 3 below:

TABLE 3 Characteristic ‘Matilda’ ‘Bridal Pearl’ Growth habit Compact Medium upright Leaf shape Narrow ovate with acute a ex Obovate with obtuse apex Flower shape Open Cupped Flower color White aging to white with White aging to distinct deep magenta to maroon magenta and maroon ring spots and uneven patches Flower size Large Medium

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

FIG. 1 is a photograph of ‘Matilda’ growing outdoors;

FIG. 2 is a photograph of a potted plant of ‘Matilda’;

FIG. 3 is a photograph of the flowers of ‘Matilda’;

FIG. 4 is a photograph of the flowers of ‘Matilda’, showing the typical progression of coloration as the flowers age;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are close-up photographs of a young flower of ‘Matilda’;

FIG. 7 is a photograph of a branch and leaves of ‘Matilda’;

FIG. 8 is a close-up photograph of a leaf of ‘Matilda’;

FIG. 9 is a close-up photograph of a flower bud of ‘Matilda’; and

FIG. 10 is a photograph of a branch, leaves and flowers of ‘Matilda.’

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following detailed botanical description is based on observations of plants of the waxflower variety named ‘Matilda’ growing at Medina Research Station, Medina, Western Australia. All colors are described according to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (2001). It should be understood that the characteristics described will vary somewhat depending upon cultural practices and climatic conditions, and can vary with location and season. Quantified measurements are expressed as an average of measurements taken from a number of individual plants of the new variety. The measurements of any individual plant, or any group of plants, of the new variety may vary from the stated average.

-   Plant:     -   -   Summary.—‘Matilda’ is an early flowering compact medium             height bush with dense terminal cover of large (19 mm) white             wax flowers that age to a magenta to maroon diffuse ring.         -   Growth habit.—Branching upright shrub growing to a height of             1 m and bush diameter of 1.3 m.         -   Flowering stem length.—50 cm. -   Leaves:     -   -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf density.—Main branch: about 10 pairs per 6 cm branch             length Secondary branch: 16 pairs of leaves branch 5 cm in             length.         -   Arrangement.—Held at about 25 to 30 degree angle to stem.         -   Aroma.—Eucalyptus or citrus aroma when leaves are crushed.         -   Leaf inter node length.—Average 14.0 mm on main branch, and             9.3 mm on secondary branch.         -   Leaf size.—Length 8.7 mm, width 1.7 mm.         -   Leaf shape.—Narrowly obovate with acute apex.         -   Leaf surface texture.—Glabrous glandular, leathery, shiny.         -   Leaf margin.—Entire.         -   Leaf base.—Sessile truncate to stem.         -   Leaf cross section.—Triangular with indented upper surface.         -   Leaf color.—New growth, upper and lower surface yellow-green             144B to 144C; mature leaves, upper and lower surface green             137B.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf venation.—None visible. -   Flower:     -   -   Flower bud.—Fresh buds — cone shaped with smooth shiny             surface color yellow-green 145B and tip of bud color             orange-red N30; diameter 3.6 mm, length 5.2 mm Older buds —             more elongated with papery operculum, coarse, surface color             grey-brown N199B to N199C; diameter 4.7 mm, length 7.4 mm.         -   Flowering season.—Early July to Late August (Medina Research             Station, Medina, Western Australia).         -   Flower longevity.—60 days.         -   Flower quality.—High.         -   Flowering time.—Early.         -   Flower description.—Flowers slightly cupped and petals             slightly overlapping to touching, round in shape, upper and             lower surface are glabrous waxy, entire margin, truncate             base and fused to calyx, rounded apex. Flower color             undergoes changes as it matures (lower and upper surface             same coloration).         -   Petal color.—On day of opening white 155D; When partially             developed, outer petal white 155D, base of petal starting to             form patches of red-purple 58B; When fully developed, outer             petal white 155D, base of petal red-purple 61A, forming a             diffused ring on the flower.         -   Flower arrangement.—Corymb.         -   Flower type.—Single flower.         -   Flowering habit.—Terminal, panicle florescence.         -   Flower shape.—Cup-shaped.         -   Flower diameter.—Average 18.6 mm; depth 11.3 mm (top of             stigma to bottom of ovary).         -   Flowering branch angle.—Overlapping.         -   Flowering attitude of petals on day of opening.—Semi erect.         -   Flowering branch angle 2 weeks after opening.—Nearly             horizontal.         -   Flower.—Length of sepal in relation to length of petal —             less than one-third.         -   Petiole (pedicle) length.—Long 12.9 mm, aspect 25° to 35°.         -   Hypanthium shape.—Cylindrical with longitudinal furrowing on             half length.         -   Hypanthium diameter.—Small, 7.1 mm.         -   Hypanthium main color at middle part on day of opening of             flower.—yellow green 145C; 4 weeks after opening of flower             yellow green 145B.         -   Nectaries.—About 6 mm in diameter, color see hypanthium.         -   Flower petals.—Usually 5, occasionally 6-7, round shape;             fused sepals at base to hypanthium, with rounded outer             separate lobes arranged alternately between petals; tube             portion fluted; fused sepals yellow-green 145B to 146B;             lobed sepals; new petals white 155D, developing an inner arc             red-purple 58A to 61A with outer arc white 155D as the             petals age.         -   Petal shape.—Slightly cupped and undulation of margins weak.         -   Petal texture.—Waxy, glabrous.         -   Petal dimensions.—Slightly broader (8.4 mm) than long (6.9             mm).         -   Stamen collar.—Color at opening of flower white 155D.         -   Stamen collar 10-14 days after opening of flower.—Color             white 155D with red-purple 58A tinge.         -   Gynoecium.—1 pistil, stigma bearded, color yellow-orange 14D             with style white 155D, with patches towards tip of             red-purple 58A; length 7 mm.         -   Androcoecium.—About 10 fertile stamens with 10 infertile             staminoids arranged alternatively on a collar adnate to             junction of petals and calyx; filament length 1.5 mm, color             white 155D aging to white 155D with tinges of red-purple             68B; staminode length 1 mm, color white 155D aging with             tinges of red-purple 68B; anthers length about 0.6 mm, color             greyed-orange 166B; pollen is sterile.         -   Disease resistance.—Moderate. 

1. We claim a new and distinct waxflower plant substantially as shown and described herein. 